VDCI lands mosquito-abatement contract

With spring comes mosquitoes and the threat of West Nile virus, but one county is taking a proactive defense.

The Hinds County Board of Supervisors members have awarded a mosquito abatement contract to Vector Disease Control International (VDCI).

Terms were not disclosed.

VDCI has an office located in Jackson, and has been serving the Jackson metro area since 2001. The company provides mosquito surveillance and control programs based on the American Mosquito Control Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for managing quality mosquito control programs.

“Because it is often impossible to eradicate all mosquitoes given their behavior patterns, resilient nature and enormous breeding potential, our goal is to manage mosquito populations within tolerable levels and simultaneously help prevent possible outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases. To achieve this goal, we use a combination of the most effective methods of controlling mosquitoes including surveillance, public education, biological control and the use of insecticides. Inspection of the treatment area coupled with collections from mechanical traps enable us to determine which species of mosquito are present, their population size and locations. This information is critical for determining when, where, and how often larvicides and adulticides need to be applied,” said Kris New, regional director for VDCI.

Hinds County Supervisor Robert Graham said, “This will provide a systematic approach to monitoring the mosquito population in Hinds County. We will have the benefit of knowing what species of mosquitoes are in our local area and which ones actually carry the West Nile virus. VDCI will routinely trap mosquitoes and test them.”